


Now And Always

by AShortWalkToDelinquency



Series: Under the B: Buddie (a mostly fluff/smut bingo card) [3]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Alpha Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, In Public, Kissing, Knotting, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Evan "Buck" Buckley, POV Alternating, Protective Everyone, Requited Love, Team as Family, mentions of mpreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-18
Updated: 2021-03-21
Packaged: 2021-03-27 02:41:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30115941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AShortWalkToDelinquency/pseuds/AShortWalkToDelinquency
Summary: For the bingo square: Public"Shit." He looks to Hen and suddenly understands her apprehension. "I'm not due to take heat leave for another week.""Well," Hen says quietly, dropping a comforting hand to Buck's forearm and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Looks like your body didn't get the memo."
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Series: Under the B: Buddie (a mostly fluff/smut bingo card) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2189601
Comments: 38
Kudos: 374





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so nothing super sexual happens in public (and public in this case is the station house), but I'm still checking it off my bingo card. Lol! The smutty bits — which don't happen until chapter 2 — all have a degree of privacy, though the team sees a little bit more than they really ever wanted to. I didn't tag for non-consensual voyeurism because the actual sex is private, but if that's a squicky topic for you, please beware.
> 
> POVs in this one are alternating and clearly separated, and each new POV will overlap with the previous one a little (and I'm hoping it comes across clearly!)

Buck's heat isn't due to start for another week.

He's supposed to have time to prepare himself and his loft. To stock the fridge with heat-friendly foods that can be eaten with little to no prepwork or cook time. To ready his toy chest, stock up on lube, and start nesting.

To ensure the doors and windows are still secure and the air purifier is operating at full efficiency.

The last thing he needs is for his scent to throw some random Alpha into a rut. Again. It happened once before, nearly a year ago, and it's why he's so intent on checking the security of his apartment before every heat now.

It's also why the team is far more protective of him than they are of any other Omega that's ever been part of the 118 (not that there have ever been many). But word travels fast amongst rescue workers, and no sooner had the cuffs been slapped on the intruder than Buck's phone was ringing off the hook, every member of his team calling to check in, despite his inability to form a coherent thought.

Things could have been much worse back then. If a neighbour hadn't called the police when she heard Buck's door being kicked in, if it hadn't been a pair of Beta officers that answered the call, if another Alpha had been nearby when the door to Buck's apartment was hanging off its hinges like an invitation to come on in and claim the Omega…

He'd been lucky.

But almost a year later — three, soon to become four, heats — and he's still hypervigilant about his security. He's more cognizant of his effect on others as he approaches his heat and his pheromones change into something nearly irresistible to most Alphas. Not to mention all of the security upgrades he installed in his apartment after the incident; Maddie joked once that his place was more secure than most bunkers, and she might not be wrong.

But none of that does him a lick of good when his heat comes on fast and blistering and one week early.

It's been an unusually quiet night (not that any of them will comment on that out loud), and Buck was more than happy to take advantage of the lull by grabbing a catnap in the bunk room. Because of his approaching heat, his sleep pattern the last few nights has been sporadic at best — more so than usual. Having the ability to catch an extra hour or two of shut eye near the end of his shift was too inviting to pass up. He's not sure how long he's been asleep, though, when a hand softly lands on his shoulder shaking him awake with an urgency that doesn't quite mesh with the gentle touch.

"Buck."

It takes longer than it should for him to truly come round. Typically, owing to years spent sleeping in the firehouse, he's wide awake and fully functional within seconds. Now, he's so lost in the world of his dreams that it takes a good thirty seconds for Hen's face to swim into view.

And she looks _worried_.

"Hen?" Buck blinks sluggishly before dragging a hand over his face in an attempt to scrub away the remnants of sleep that cling to him so obstinately. Despite the fact he can't seem to piece together any of his thoughts long enough to connect the dots, he's concerned about the apprehension that's etched on every line of her face. He shifts in the bed to face her more completely, trying to center his thoughts, but just as soon as he moves his hips, his heart stutters to a halt and his eyebrows nearly hit his hairline.

He's wet.

_Sopping wet._

"Shit." He looks to Hen and suddenly understands her apprehension. "I'm not due to take heat leave for another week."

"Well," Hen says quietly, dropping a comforting hand to Buck's forearm and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Looks like your body didn't get the memo."

~~~

It's just after two in the morning and the firehouse is nearly silent. Buck and Chimney are sleeping in the bunk room, and Hen is studying with an intensity that makes Eddie wonder if he's ever studied that hard for anything in his life. Eddie himself is lounging at the table with Bobby, chatting about anything and nothing, just to pass the last few hours of their shift (he may not be superstitious, but even Eddie refuses to use the 'Q' word about the mild shift they've had. Bobby's words still ring in his ears: _Nobody is saying you have to believe in curses. Just maybe don't tempt fate_ ). He's in the middle of regaling Bobby with stories of Christopher's science fair project when Athena walks up the stairs, surprising them both.

"Athena," Bobby says as he pushes to his feet, surprised but quite obviously pleased to see his Alpha. "What brings you by in the middle of the night?"

"I was in the neighbourhood and thought you all could use a pick me up, to keep going for the rest of your shift," she says, hitching up the paper bag in her hand for all to see before setting it on the table.

"Oh, you are a lifesaver, Athena. Thank you," Hen smiles, abandoning her textbook to take hold of one of the cookies from the bag. There aren't many bakeries open twenty-four hours in the city, but Athena managed to pick up a dozen decadent treats for them to share. "I don't think I could've gotten through another chapter without a hit of sugar."

Athena makes her way to Bobby's side with a smile of her own, tucking up against him as she wraps an arm around his back, and Bobby easily matches her movement, draping an arm over her shoulders. The casual domesticity between the couple makes Eddie's heart twinge, just a little, but he pushes his longing for something similar to the side as quickly as he can manage.

"You're welcome," Athena says to Hen. She nods the same to Eddie as he reaches forward to snatch a chocolate chip cookie for himself, offering a quiet but heartfelt thanks as he does.

He doesn't get a chance to taste it.

The cookie is halfway to his lips when the scent floods the room, saturating the entire station with the most intoxicating aroma Eddie has ever smelled. Except it doesn't _only_ fill the room. It permeates every cell of Eddie's body, soaking through his skin and seeping into his blood. He'd swear he can actually _feel_ it as it pumps through his veins, filling his heart before surging through his limbs and pooling low in his gut.

He's achingly hard before the cookie even drops from his fingers.

A quiet moan from his left has Eddie's head snapping up, eyes darting to Athena as she stiffens in Bobby's arms, her eyes fluttering shut as the scent hits her, too.

Eddie doesn't mean to react. Doesn't mean to do anything at all.

But suddenly he's on his feet, a low growl building in his chest and spilling from his lips as his body drops into a low crouch, preparing to attack before his mind has a chance to catch up.

"Eddie?" Bobby says slowly, shifting to put himself between Eddie and Athena, but the Beta barely even captures Eddie's attention.

Right now his eyes are on Athena.

The competition.

~~~

Hen takes a bite of the cookie — a white chocolate macadamia nut that practically melts on her tongue — letting her eyes slip shut as the flavours explode over her taste buds.

Studying is hungry work, and her brain needs the sugar.

It doesn't hurt that the bakery Athena chose is one of her favourites in the city. Somewhere she'll occasionally stop on the way home to pick up a sweet treat to share with Karen. And after a long night of cramming for her next exam, the cookie is the closest thing to bliss she's experienced in a good long while.

And then it happens.

She feels the change in the air like an oncoming storm, but she doesn't understand what's causing it. At least, not right away.

But then Athena goes suddenly rigid, an almost inaudible moan breaking free without thought. Even from where Hen is standing about a dozen feet away, she can see Athena's pupils dilate, can just barely glimpse the flutter of her pulse beneath the skin at her throat, beating far, far faster than it should be.

And then there's Eddie.

The usually quiet and reserved Alpha is ready to pounce, crouching down into an attack position that makes the tiny hairs on the back of Hen's neck stand at attention.

As a Beta, she can't really smell it, but she _knows_ the only thing that could possibly have the two Alphas in the station looking like this is an Omega in heat. And as far as she knows, the only Omega in the building is Buck.

"Eddie?"

Hen slowly circles towards Eddie as Bobby attempts to shield Athena with his body, as if that will make any difference if one or both of the Alphas falls into a rut. The best thing they can do right now is get the Alphas as far from Buck as possible and hope that everything settles.

"Eddie, I need you to sit down. You don't want to do this," Bobby's voice remains perfectly neutral but Hen can see the concern in the tight pull of his muscles. He still has one hand stretched behind him, carefully gripping Athena, but his eyes are fully trained on Eddie. And Hen doesn't blame him. Athena is struggling against the pheromones that are no doubt filling the room, but she's keeping it together far better than Eddie, who is beginning to look downright feral. "Eddie. You need to hold your breath and leave. Now."

The growl coming from Eddie's chest only grows louder, more threatening, and Hen doesn't think that Eddie is in any fit state to make decisions for himself at the moment. All her years in the job and she's never seen an Alpha react quite so strongly to an Omega's heat before, especially considering that Buck must just be starting his heat and the two of them are several rooms apart.

"Eddie," Hen tries, but winds up taking an unconscious step back when his head jerks over to her, pupils blown so wide that there's hardly a sliver of his usual brown left around the edges. "Listen to me. It's Buck. You need to fight this."

He can, too. At least, a little. Though she suspects he may end up needing some chemical aid to assist with it. And _that_ she can help with.

She's trying to work out how best to get to the rig so she can grab an injection, something to interfere with the reaction that's happening inside of Eddie, but Bobby catches her eye while Eddie's attention is away from him and Athena and makes it clear that he wants her to get Buck out of the station. At her brief nod of understanding, Bobby begins to speak again, drawing Eddie's focus back to him.

"Eddie, I know your instincts right now are telling you that you need to mate, but you don't," Bobby says carefully, inching closer to Eddie at a glacial pace. Hen is hesitant to leave Bobby alone, trapped between two Alphas, but Athena seems to be coming back to herself, her bond with Bobby helping to neutralize the pheromones in her bloodstream. All Hen can do is hope that the two of them together will be enough to take down Eddie if push comes to shove. And so she slowly and silently backs away as Bobby continues to reason with him. "You can stop this, Eddie. You need to calm down before you do something you can't take back."

Bobby's words follow her down to the bunk room, calm and steady as he tries to talk Eddie out of doing something he'd regret for the rest of his life. As she drops a hip down next to Buck on the bed, though, she puts everything else out of her mind. Right now, she needs to focus on getting Buck out, and if Athena and Eddie's reaction are any indication, it's not going to be easy.

His head is rolling back and forth on the pillow, clearly lost in a haze of dreams, and judging by the tented blanket that she is studiously keeping her eyes away from, she knows exactly what he's dreaming about.

"Buck," she shakes his shoulder firmly enough to wake him, but not so vigorously that he'll jolt up in bed.

They need to limit his movements so less of his scent wafts through the building.

Buck is unsurprisingly groggy as he comes to, sounding half asleep as he calls out her name. She can pinpoint the exact moment that he becomes aware of the situation, though. His entire body goes stock still, eyes becoming comically wide as he curses and then points out, "I'm not due to take heat leave for another week."

She gives his forearm a light squeeze, hoping to convey that this is not his fault as she whispers, "Well. Looks like your body didn't get the memo."

Buck drops his head back against the pillow with a groan that she can only pray Eddie didn't hear, because it's so damn wanton that even she blushes at the sound.

"Buck, we need to get you out of here. Now," she says, quiet but firm. They're not only battling against how long they can keep Eddie away, but against Buck's own needs, too. And she can tell they're losing that battle. Buck's only been awake for maybe two minutes and already his skin is flushed, his breaths coming fast and shallow as he lays there, beginning to writhe beneath the blanket. "Buck, now."

He looks to her with glassy eyes and she starts to wonder if Buck is one of the 0.01% of the Omega population that experiences super-heats. It would explain the incident at his apartment last year, and also account for Eddie's extreme reaction to his pheromones and the fact that Athena was affected at all. The part of her brain that's training to be a doctor is absolutely fascinated, but the practical part knows they need to move now and analyze later.

"Come on," she eases Buck up, keeping the blanket firmly tucked over him, despite the heat that's radiating from his skin like a four alarm blaze. She even reaches over to the next bed to grab another blanket to throw over his shoulders, hoping to contain the scent that's pouring off of him so intensely that her weaker Beta receptors are picking it up as he moves.

As she fumbles for the blanket on the next bed, keeping her eyes trained on Buck as she does, she's startled by the hand that presses the material into her palm. Her head jerks over, surprised to find Chimney sitting up on the mattress, on full alert and looking just as concerned as Hen feels.

"Eddie?" Chim asks, sliding out of bed and helping to tuck the blanket around Buck's back.

"Out there with Bobby and Athena," Hen nods towards the door, giving Chimney a weighted look, hoping he understands the gravity of the situation.

And he seems to.

"Okay, Buck, it's time to get moving," Chimney says, hurrying to the other side of the bed so Buck is fully supported as they lever him to his feet. They both ignore the moan that slips from Buck's lips as they move, echoing through the small space.

They're almost at the door when a massive crash and an ungodly howl floats to them from the kitchen and all three of them freeze, eyes wide as they wait for something more, some hint of what the hell just happened and who they can expect to come racing down the hall.

~~~

"You can stop this, Eddie. You need to calm down before you do something you can't take back." Bobby has years of training under his belt, knows how to modulate his voice when speaking to an Alpha in a rut in order to keep them from going feral at his presence. But doing it here, now, when it's one of his own that he's trying to talk down and when his wife is behind him, has his heart racing like it never has before.

His mind runs through a thousand alternatives, playing out all of his options and all of the worst-case scenarios between one frantic heartbeat and the next. But in the end, it all boils down to one basic goal.

Protect Buck.

After what happened last year, Bobby won't allow Buck to end up in that type of situation again. Fortunately, the police had arrived back then before things went too far, but even still, Buck was a wreck afterwards. His space had been violated when he was at his most vulnerable, and that fear stuck with him for a long while after, leaving behind a weight in the depths of Buck's eyes that was painful to witness.

And Bobby refuses to let that happen again.

Beyond that, he knows if Eddie ever did a single thing to harm Buck, the Alpha would never forgive himself. It would destroy him in a way that nothing else could, and Bobby fears that there would be no coming back from that.

"Eddie, we need to leave. We need to get you some fresh air, okay?" Bobby moves slowly, _oh-so-slowly_ , towards Eddie as he speaks. He's hesitant to leave Athena behind, but he knows damn well that she can take care of herself, and a quick glance over his shoulder confirms that she's got a firm hold on herself now that the initial surprise of an unexpected heat has worn away. "You and me, okay? We'll take a walk."

Even as a Beta, Bobby can just pick up on the sweet aroma that's pervading the space, so when a deluge of it suddenly pours into the room, Bobby finds himself holding his breath, waiting for the aggression that he knows is coming.

Eddie's head whips to the side, his gaze narrowing as he looks towards the bunk room. Suddenly, it seems as though Bobby and Athena no longer exist; Eddie's attention is completely absorbed by the pheromones. Which is good, in a way, because Bobby can close the gap between them without Eddie even reacting.

So when Eddie finally makes his move, stalking towards the source of the smell that's taken over his entire being, Bobby stops him with a hand on his chest, bracing for the worse but knowing exactly what he needs to do.

Eddie _snarls_ , turning to face Bobby with a fire burning deep in his eyes. "Let. Go." The words are spit through clenched teeth and Bobby can see that Eddie is _thisclose_ to losing control completely.

"Eddie. Stop," Bobby says quietly, praying he can get through to whatever rational part of the Alpha is left. "This is Buck you're going after. You can't do that to him. Not again. Not after what happened last year."

There's a war waging within Eddie. Bobby can see it in his eyes, can feel it in the pull of the muscles beneath his hand where it's splayed open on his chest. He _knows_ Eddie would never want to hurt Buck, that he would never take the choice to mate or not out of the Omega's hands. He _suspects_ that Eddie has been in love with Buck for a good long while now. And he _hopes_ that it's enough to keep him at bay long enough for Hen to get Buck out of the station.

With a sharp huff of breath, Eddie's hands fly to his head, the heels of his palms pressing into his temples as his fingers tug at his hair, and it's clear he's fighting to control himself, to hold back and ignore the impulses that are screaming at him to mate and breed and claim. He's fighting against biology, against millennia of evolution, and Bobby can tell it's tearing him apart, but still he holds back, and Bobby doesn't think he's ever been more proud.

"You can do this, okay? Just hang in there a little longer. For Buck," Bobby says.

And it seems like it's working. Like, if Eddie just stays still and breathes the short, shallow gasps that he's managing at the moment, that they might just be okay.

Until a needy moan echoes through the station and slams into Eddie like a freight train.

"Eddie, no!" Bobby shouts as Eddie breaks free from his grip, but instead of rushing towards the source of the smell (Eddie would be like a goddamn bloodhound right now, able to track Buck by scent alone, even if he were miles away), Eddie reaches out with muscles so tense that Bobby fears they could actually tear, grabbing hold of the heavy table with both hands, the wood creaking as he squeezes it with all his might before heaving it up and tossing it over with an almost superhuman strength. A savage howl rips from his lungs as he throws the table towards the wall, loud enough to almost completely mask the sound of the wood splintering before the table clatters to the ground.

And then Eddie is running. By the time Bobby realizes what's happening, Eddie is at the top of the stairs, heading down at a breakneck pace. Bobby and Athena both jump into action, chasing after him with the knowledge that two lives are on the line, but instead of running towards Buck, Eddie seems intent on the open bay doors at the end of the room.

Bobby practically collapses with relief when he realizes Eddie is removing himself from the situation, slowing his chase of the man just a little, ensuring he gives the Alpha plenty of space to move.

He's sure that Eddie would have made it outside, would have kept running until his head was clear and he was no longer a threat to Buck.

But one simple word stops him in his tracks, just before he reaches the fresh air outside.

"Eddie?"

Bobby's head swivels on his neck, looking back to just outside the locker room, where Hen and Chimney are physically holding Buck back as he calls out for the Alpha.

And that look on Buck's face, Bobby knows, has less to do with his heat and more to do with some long buried feelings for Eddie.

Amidst the chaos and the fear and the pheromones that are blanketing them so heavily that it's suffocating, Bobby spares half a second to wonder how long Buck has been in love with Eddie.

~~~

Chimney has no idea what's happening outside the bunk room, but he figures out quickly that Buck is in heat and that shit is going to hit the fan sooner rather than later if they don't get him home. Now.

Buck _smells_ like sex and is giving off such an intense amount of pheromones that even Chimney's body is starting to take an interest. He's pretty sure that isn't even supposed to be possible, as a Beta. Regardless, Buck's heat is most assuredly going to draw the attention of every Alpha in the station, and, according to Hen, that means not only Eddie, but Athena, as well.

He understands that Athena's bond with Bobby should be helping to counter the effects of Buck's pheromones, but nothing about this situation feels like the standard conditions described in his textbooks and training manuals. Something about Buck's heat is so far beyond what it should be that Chimney can't be sure how any Alpha will react.

Although, considering the sexual tension between Buck and Eddie on a good day, he can't imagine that Eddie is having an easy time right now.

That suspicion is abruptly and irrefutably confirmed when a massive crash rings through the station, chased by a howl that could only have come from their resident Alpha.

Chimney freezes and it feels as if the temperature of his blood has dropped several degrees. Hen stills, too, and the concern that's painted on her face seems to become thicker somehow, runs a little deeper. Buck, though…

Buck absolutely lights up.

"Uh, Buck?" Chimney asks. There's a growing dread knotting up inside of him, his intuition telling him that something very bad is about to happen. He's learned to trust that feeling. But just as he's tightening his grip on Buck's arm, the Omega jerks free from his hold, the blankets fluttering to the ground around them as he bolts from the room, leaving Hen and Chimney reaching out and grasping at thin air as Buck clears the doorway, waiting for their feet to get the message and give chase.

Luckily, Chimney is built for speed. He manages to catch up to Buck just outside the locker room, halting his progress by throwing his entire body in front of the man. Even then it isn't enough to stop him completely. It's not until Hen catches up and grabs hold of Buck's bicep, tugging him back, that they fully halt the Omega's frantic movements.

However, as Chimney looks up, he thinks that they might just be too late anyways.

Eddie is hurtling down the stairs recklessly, and Chimney holds his breath as the Alpha reaches the bottom, bracing for a full blown confrontation with a good friend, but instead of running towards Buck, Eddie speeds full tilt towards the open door at the end of the station. While he can't be sure, Chimney doesn't think that Eddie registered Buck's presence in his haste to get out, and he sags in relief, thinking that maybe things will be okay after all.

And then Buck opens his damn mouth.

~~~

"Eddie?"

The voice is small, scared, and unmistakably Buck's. And it stops Eddie so fast, so fully, it's like he's slammed into a brick wall.

He spins on his heel, his gaze immediately searching the room for Buck as he turns. And while it's not as if he's difficult to locate, Eddie's pulse notches up several counts when he finds him.

Because there are people _touching_ him.

It takes everything in his power not to rush over and rip their hands off of his Omega, and it's only the tiny voice of reason in his head — the one that viciously reminds him that Buck is not _his_ Omega at all — that keeps him from doing just that. He doesn't quite manage to stop his lip from pulling up to bare his teeth in an angry snarl, though. Doesn't quite keep the growl from rumbling up in his chest and issuing forth into the room.

And he can't quite keep himself from taking an aggressive step towards them.

He does stop, however, when Athena steps directly in his path, maybe half a dozen feet away, with her hand on the butt of her service weapon. It's still in its holster, thankfully, but even around the haze that's clouding his vision, clouding his _mind_ , he can tell she won't hesitate to draw if she feels she needs to.

"Eddie," Athena says firmly, one hand held out in front of her in a clear sign to stop. Without ever directly challenging him Alpha to Alpha, she makes it perfectly clear where she stands in this face off. "I'm going to need you to take a step back, now."

And the order — hell, just her presence there at all — makes him feel like he's being ripped apart. He knows he needs to stay back, understands why Athena is trying to keep him from Buck, even recognizes Athena's authority in this situation. But at the same time, his blood is on fire, threatening to consume him from the inside out, and every atom of his body _aches_ to get closer to Buck and he's pretty sure that there's going to come a point where Athena's presence (and Athena's gun) won't keep him away.

Because Buck smells…absolutely delectable.

Eddie's cock pulses in his pants as wave after wave of Buck's scent wafts over to him — pheromones and slick and something that's undeniably _Buck_ — and every breath he takes makes it harder and harder to listen to the sensible voice in his head. It doesn't help that his rational thoughts are becoming increasingly more faint as his body screams at him to act, drowning out all other considerations.

The harder Buck struggles against Hen and Chimney's hold, the stronger his scent becomes. And soon enough it's as if everyone else in the room simply ceases to exist. Eddie's focus is on Buck. An Omega that he loves, an Omega that _needs_ him.

An Omega that's being forcibly restrained.

And Eddie sees red.

Right as he's about to make his move, gun be damned, Buck manages to break free of the Betas that were holding him back, nearly knocking Athena over as he runs to Eddie, launching himself at him so forcefully that they both tumble backwards to the ground. Eddie's head hits the concrete with a dull thud, but he can't seem to bring himself to care, because the Omega is finally in his arms.

Buck wastes no time, straddling Eddie's hips and grinding down against him as he leans in and crashes their lips together so hard that Eddie tastes blood as lips and teeth collide. He doesn't know which of them is bleeding and, frankly, doesn't care, because the copper tang on his tongue is nothing compared to the smell and taste of Buck that surrounds him and pours into his soul.

Eddie's tongue darts out, slipping easily into Buck's mouth, dancing with the Omega's tongue as Eddie threads his hand into Buck's hair, fisting it tightly to pull him as close as possible. Close enough that not even a hint of air can pass between them as he devours the Omega until his lungs are burning and his cock is aching and all he wants to do with the rest of his life is climb into Buck and become a part of him.

So he doesn't feel the hands that are clutching at them at first. It's not until Buck starts to pull back with a broken cry that Eddie realizes what's happening. He reaches up and tugs Buck back down against his chest, wrapping his arms tight around his back as he roars at the people trying to separate them.

" **Back the fuck off.** "

He's never used his Alpha voice at work before, but it doesn't matter in that moment because it _works_ and the hands let go of them both. Everyone but Athena takes a step back, and unless she's planning on shooting him, Athena doesn't stand a chance of pulling Buck away now that they're holding onto each other so tightly.

Buck's whimpers die down as soon as the hands stop pulling him away, but Eddie rubs a soothing hand up and down his back until his breathing evens out, regardless. As he does, he feels that Buck's t-shirt is damp with sweat and sticking to his skin and Eddie sees no reason for him to have it on at all, so his next pass down Buck's back, his fingers slip beneath the hem of the fabric like it's completely natural, like they've been doing this for ages. He tugs it up and over Buck's head, tossing it away without a second thought.

He's aware of a bustle of noise and movement around them, but Buck's needy moan is the only thing he pays any mind to as he crashes their lips together once again, drinking in the man as though it's the most important thing in the world.

Perhaps it is.

He pulls back when they need to breathe, but only enough to kiss along Buck's jaw, nosing into the soft spot behind Buck's ear and then moving lower, rubbing his face along every inch of skin he can reach, spreading his scent all over the Omega so there's absolutely no question that he's been claimed.

"Eddie," Buck groans, rocking their hips together to create a delightful friction that only makes Eddie want more. That makes him want everything. "Need you to fill me. Breed me."

Eddie's hips buck up at the words, ready to fulfill Buck's wish despite the fact that there are far, far too many layers of clothing between them.

"Fuck yes," Eddie moans, his teeth scraping over the bonding gland at the base of Buck's neck, wanting nothing more than to bond with the Omega here and now. In spite of the raging lust that's coursing through him, though, he still recognizes that bonding needs to wait until they're both far more clear headed.

But the thought of it…

"Fuck," Eddie pants as he drags his nails down Buck's back, scraping at the skin and drawing the most enticing noises from the Omega as he does. "Gonna knot you, Buck. Gonna breed you for days."

And Jesus Christ, just thinking about burying himself inside of Buck, pumping him so full of his come that his belly distends like he's already carrying Eddie's pups has Eddie's knot starting to swell and they're not even naked yet.

He's never been so turned on in his life.

And it's not just Buck's heat, or even the rut that it's pushing Eddie into. It's solely because it's _Buck_ asking him to breed him. Because he's felt a connection with the man for years, and feeling his body, hard and wanting, pressed up against him now is an honest to God dream come true.

But as he reaches between them for the button of Buck's pants, he's promptly reminded that they have an audience.

"Oh, hell no."


	2. Chapter 2

Athena is concentrating so intently on Eddie, watching the way his muscles twitch and tense as he readies himself to attack (and the thought that she may have to not only draw her weapon in the firehouse, but actually use it on one of the team — on a member of their family — makes her stomach twist and curl uncomfortably), that she doesn't register the commotion when Buck breaks free of Chimney and Hen's hold. It's not until he's barrelling past her, knocking her into the fire truck beside her in his haste to get to Eddie, that she realizes what's happening.

She finds her footing quickly enough, but by that point, Buck has already knocked Eddie to the ground and is rocking their hips together in a way that is so damn pornographic that she feels the heat beneath the collar of her uniform spreading up to her cheeks.

"Diaz! Buckley!" She calls out, but honestly, she doesn't expect either of them to stop, and she's starting to wonder if she needs to be keeping them apart at all. This is clearly no longer a matter of an Alpha going rut-blind and taking advantage of an Omega.

She looks over to Bobby only to find him just as conflicted as she feels. Buck is like a son to him, and Eddie has long since become family as well, so she's not surprised by just how adrift he sounds as he throws out his arms and asks, "What now?"

After the incident last year, Bobby's been...more than a little protective of Buck. Looking at him now, she can see that he wants to go over and make sure Buck is truly okay. She can also see his cheeks pink up as his gaze flicks to the two men but then darts away like he _really_ doesn't want to be watching this.

"I can't forcibly remove Eddie from the station anymore," Athena says, finally dropping her hand from her gun. "Buck is a grown man and he's made his choice."

"But is it his choice? He's in heat and Eddie was an available Alpha. He might not want this when his heat is over," Hen says as she and Chimney make their way to their Captain's side with hesitant steps, unsure if they should be walking away to give Buck and Eddie some privacy.

Hen is voicing a question for which Athena knows they won't discover an answer tonight. The ethics of heat/rut mating have been a hot button political and social issue since humankind first made sense of their biology. Right now, they just need to make a decision for tonight and hope the fallout isn't crippling.

"Doesn't look like Buck's having any reservations," Chimney points out. He rubs at the back of his neck uncomfortably as he nods towards Buck, who is humping Eddie like their clothes will disappear if he just rocks a little harder, tiny little mewling cries falling from his mouth as he kisses Eddie with a nearly violent passion.

Hen shoots Chimney a look, but Athena's already made a decision.

"Here's what we're going to do. We're going to try to separate them long enough to ask them both if this is what they want, without the chemicals interfering with their decision making processes."

She looks to them all for their agreement, which they give with small nods all around, and then the four of them walk over together, some of their steps more tentative than the others.

"Eddie, Buck," Athena says quietly, "how about we take a breather now, hmm?"

Whether they don't hear her or don't care, Athena isn't sure, but after two more attempts with the same result, she plants herself beside them and gestures for the others to do the same, gently wrapping hands around Bucks arms and Eddie's shoulders in an attempt to pull them apart.

The effect is almost instantaneous.

" **Back the fuck off.** "

Bobby, Chimney, and Hen all reel back like they've been struck, eyes wide at the sheer power of Eddie's Alpha voice. Athena looses her own grip when Buck cries out as if it's physically painful to be separated from Eddie.

It's possible that it is.

Eddie winds up holding Buck so tight against his chest that she'd be surprised if the Omega can manage a proper breath. But the reaction of both men sparks the realization that separating them now, when they're this far gone, is most certainly going to do more harm than good.

"Or not?" Chimney asks as the four of them huddle several feet away once again, earning an eye roll from Hen and matching exasperated glares from Bobby and Athena.

"I think we need to accept that this is happening and be prepared to deal with any consequences when all is said and done," Athena sighs, resigned to the fact that this may change the dynamic at the 118 irrevocably. She just hopes that they'll all make it through on the other side. "Which means all we can do now is—"

Her words cut off as Buck's LAFD t-shirt flops against her calf before falling to the ground. And that is definitely more of Evan Buckley than she wants to see.

"All we can do now," she tries again, "is attempt to get them somewhere safe."

Somewhere she won't have to arrest them for the public displays of lewd behaviour and indecent exposure that she knows damn well are about to commence.

"Hen, Chimney, get the bus ready," she says, raising her voice a little in an attempt to cover up the pleading and explicit promises that are happening on the floor behind her. "You're going to be making a delivery."

She nods over to the two men on the floor just in time to see Eddie's hands slip between them, clearly working the fly on Buck's pants.

"Oh, hell no," Athena says, taking half a step towards them before Bobby stops her with a gentle hand on her shoulder. She looks to him with an arched eyebrow, surprised he hasn't already stepped in himself.

"Eddie won't react well to an Alpha."

He's right, of course, so she reluctantly nods and follows Hen and Chimney to the back of the ambulance, staying just far enough to the side that she can keep an eye on the interaction as Bobby drops to a crouch next to Buck and Eddie.

From where she's standing, she can't hear what they're saying, but Buck unburies his face from the crook of Eddie's neck to look up at Bobby with eyes so full of gratitude that Athena's heart skips a beat or two. And the downright murderous glare on Eddie's face fades to mildly aggravated, but still somehow thankful, as well.

In a matter of seconds, Bobby is retreating to a respectful distance as Eddie and Buck get off the ground, their hands never leaving one another's bodies for a second as they move. But moving, it seems, is a bit of a problem in and of itself. Even from a distance, Athena can smell the sex that's absolutely dripping from Buck, and when he moves, it only magnifies. She'd be lying if she said it wasn't having an effect on her, too, and she offers up a prayer of thanks that her bond with Bobby is keeping her level headed enough to handle the situation.

As for their amorous couple, they make it all of three steps before Eddie is slamming Buck up against the side of the firetruck, kissing him senseless while his hands roam over Buck's bare chest and then lower, cupping Buck through the front of his pants and swallowing the moan it provokes.

Athena isn't sure they're going to make it to the ambulance at all.

They do, though. Slowly. Athena backs away when Eddie growls at her presence, clearly displeased about another Alpha being anywhere near his Omega, but soon enough they're in the back of the ambulance, collapsing onto the stretcher inside, and the doors are being gratefully closed behind them.

Athena huffs out a relieved breath. At least they're closed away, for now.

"You know what's about to happen in there, right?" Chimney asks, jerking his thumb over his shoulder to indicate the ambulance.

"Yes. And hopefully once they're done they'll have a few minutes of lucidity where they can get squared away in Buck's apartment. I'd suggest you get a move on," Athena says, fixing Chimney with a no-nonsense glare.

"I don't think we need to rush," Hen says as Eddie's robust laugh breaks through the sides of the rig, surprising them all. "Pretty sure this is gonna take a while." Regardless, she and Chimney make their way to the front of the ambulance, and Athena suspects Hen is dreading the ride just as much as Chimney is, though both of them look resolved to see this through.

When the doors to the cab swing open, aggressive-sounding grunts and possibly the most obscene moans Athena has ever heard break free from the back of the vehicle. The sounds reverberate through the station, leaving no doubt of exactly what's happening in the back of the ambulance.

"I expect a raise!" Chimney calls out to Bobby as he heaves himself into the passenger seat with a shake of his head, but Athena doesn't miss the hint of a smirk on his face when she catches a glimpse of him in the side mirror.

Bobby slides up next to Athena as the ambulance pulls out of the bay, his eyes following the rig as it goes. "They're gonna be okay, right?"

"The way those two look at each other?" Athena says, trying not to look as amused as she suddenly feels, now that Buck's scent is no longer inundating her senses. A smile sneaks up on her, nevertheless. If those two idiots thought that they were keeping their feelings for one another under wraps, they were sorely mistaken. "They'll be just fine. Hopefully this will finally get them talking."

~~~

Buck hears the ambulance doors close behind them as they fall onto the stretcher, and he realizes that he is finally, _finally_ , alone with his Alpha. The needy noise that fills the space should probably be embarrassing, but he really couldn't care less because Eddie is on top of him, kissing and licking his way down his bare chest, pausing to tug at hardened nipples with his teeth before going lower, dipping a tongue in his belly button as he works the button and fly on his pants.

"Eddie, please," Buck begs. He doesn't even know what he's asking for but he needs it so badly that it feels like it might just burn him down to a pile of ash if he doesn't get it soon.

"I got you," Eddie's voice is deep, thick with lust as he yanks Bucks pants and underwear down in one rough jerk, managing to pull off Buck's socks and shoes at the same time, leaving him gloriously naked and spread out for his Alpha.

Buck moans at the thought of _his_ Alpha, his cock giving a twitch where it's curved up against his belly, rock hard and leaking precum all over his skin. He's been wanting Eddie for so damn long and now, suddenly, when he needs him the most, it looks like he's finally going to have him.

And Eddie — being the goddamn perfect Alpha that he is — doesn't waste a second, not even bothering to take the few seconds he would need to strip out of his clothes. He merely undoes his own pants and tugs them down just below the swell of his ass. Just enough to free his cock.

And Eddie is fucking _hung_.

Buck moans as he sees just how long and _thick_ Eddie is, and that's not even taking into account where the man's knot is already starting to swell. His mouth waters for a taste of it, but he knows that's going to have to wait. Right now, he needs Eddie inside of him more than he needs the air that's making its way to his lungs in heaving pants.

"Please, Alpha. Fuck me," Buck begs, nearly in tears now that he's so close. The fire inside of him has become a raging inferno and he's positive that he won't survive much longer. He needs this. Needs his Alpha. Needs Eddie. "Breed me. Make me yours."

Eddie is settled between Buck's legs, one ankle on either shoulder, before Buck finishes speaking.

The feel of Eddie's cockhead running over his sopping wet rim steals Buck's breath away. But the feel of Eddie pushing in, breaching the furl of muscle as he slowly pushes his way inside makes him think that maybe he never needed the air in the first place.

All he needs is this.

"Fuck!" Buck shouts as Eddie fills him up, stretches him so wide that Buck feels like he's being ripped in half, torn in two by the massive cock forcing its way into his body. "Don't stop!"

It's fucking glorious.

The shaking strain of Eddie's muscles as he works to fully seat himself screams that he's holding back, keeping himself from just thrusting wildly like his body is demanding, and Buck's heart swells with so much love for the man that a trickle of tears escape the sides of his eyes, rolling down his skin only to be caught by his hair.

And as soon as the tears well up in his eyes, Eddie stills.

"Buck?"

Before Buck can assure him that everything is fine (and plead with him to keep moving), Eddie is cautiously leaning down, careful not to shift his hips as he brings his lips to Buck's face, peppering him with gentle kisses along his cheekbones and over his eyelids, kissing away the tear tracks that have been left behind.

"Am I hurting you?" Eddie whispers.

He sounds devastated.

"No," Buck breathes, bringing his hands up to cradle Eddie's face, making sure Eddie is looking him in the eye when he says, "I just love you so damn much, Eddie."

The tension in Eddie's face melts away at the words (though another part of the Alpha gets impossibly harder and Buck's eyes flutter shut at the pulse inside of him).

"I love you, too."

Buck takes a moment to soak in the words that he's been dreaming about for years before he looks back up at Eddie, an impish grin tugging at his lips. Eddie narrows his eyes suspiciously, but Buck would swear he can see the corners of Eddie's mouth tilt up in response.

"Why don't you show me just how much you love me?"

Eddie's booming laugh fills the small room they've found themselves in and Buck smiles so wide it makes his cheeks ache.

"You're a bit of a brat, you know that, right?" Eddie says as he drops one last kiss to the tip of Buck's nose before pushing himself upright and switching to mouth at the inside of Buck's ankle where it rests on his shoulder.

"It's why you love me," Buck grins, but the quip dissolves into little more than a huff of breath as Eddie arches back and then snaps his hips forward.

And then it's game on.

Eddie sets a brutal pace that leaves Buck moaning like a fucking porn star and grasping at the sides of the stretcher, the colour in his knuckles bleeding away with his iron-fisted grip as he tries to keep himself from being fucked right off the end of the stretcher.

It's everything he wanted and more and still somehow it's not quite enough. He needs to feel Eddie's skin pressed against his, needs the Alpha to scent him as his own. So when Eddie's thrusts slow ever so slightly in order to bracket Buck's body with his knees, Buck makes his move.

He drops his legs from Eddie's shoulders to wrap around his waist and then uses his grip on the metal guardrails to launch himself up, nearly knocking them both off the foot of the bed as he lands in Eddie's lap, sinking on his cock all the way to the base.

"Fuck."

He isn't sure if the exclamation came from him or Eddie, but it doesn't really matter. All that matters is that Buck can rip off Eddie's shirt and then they're pressed together, chest to chest, and Eddie's scent is sinking into Buck's skin and Buck suddenly feels _whole_ in a way he never has before.

They don't stay like that long. The sway of the ambulance as it moves through the streets has them lurching from side to side (and Buck has no fucking idea when they started moving. He's distantly aware of the fact that there must be someone in the driver's seat if they're on the move, and he feels just a tiny bit bad about the noises that Eddie is punching out of him as he bounces in the Alpha's lap, but not enough to actually try to tone it down), and soon enough Eddie is tossing him back down onto the stretcher.

And holy fuck, Eddie manhandling him and tossing him around like it's nothing nearly sends him right over the edge. But then Eddie is planting his elbows on either side of Buck's head and thrusting as hard and fast as the position will allow, and Buck is lost to the pleasure completely.

He comes so hard his vision whites out.

When he returns to his body, Eddie is staring at him, completely enraptured, and Buck feels a heat spread beneath his skin.

"God, you're beautiful," Eddie huffs.

The position must be awkward for him, straining his muscles, but even still, Buck can feel the Alpha's knot growing with each thrust, catching and tugging on his rim as he fucks into him relentlessly.

And Buck wants his knot. Wants his seed.

"Knot me," Buck says, propping himself up on his elbows so he can nip at Eddie's earlobe between his quiet words. "I want to feel you locked inside of me, filling me with your come. Oh God, Eddie. I want to be so full of you that it drips from me for days."

Eddie drops his head to Buck's shoulder and thrusts once, twice more before his knot fully catches and he can't pull out any longer. And less than thirty seconds later Eddie is giving Buck exactly what he wants, filling him with so much come that Buck would swear he can feel his abdomen expanding already.

Eddie groans loud and low, and between the sound of the Alpha's pleasure bouncing off the walls and the warmth coating Buck's insides, Buck's own pleasure abruptly spikes and he falls back as he reaches orgasm again, striping his stomach and chest with even more come.

While Buck's jaw is still lax and slightly agape, Eddie starts to lick and nip along his lips, starting with his upper lip and pausing to kiss at the corners of his mouth before sucking his bottom lip into his mouth, teasing the sensitive skin with his tongue. Only when Buck comes back to himself enough to reciprocate does Eddie turn it into an honest to God kiss, sliding their lips together far more gently than before.

The urgency that they were feeling (and will feel again soon), has abated for the time being, leaving Buck far more clear headed than he's felt since Hen first woke him up.

And with the dawning clarity comes an insistent and nagging worry.

He doesn't doubt his feelings for Eddie — he's been in love with him for nearly two years now — but he knows that an Alpha in a rut might easily say things they don't actually mean, or things they _think_ they mean in the heat of the moment, but don't still feel when the haze has passed. And that insecure voice in the back of Buck's mind that's been tormenting him since he was just a boy begins to volley a series of 'what-ifs' at him: what if Eddie regrets what's happened between them, what if he's disgusted by Buck dragging him into this, what if he no longer wants to see him anymore.

Buck has learned to live with disappointment throughout his life, but _that_ would be a bridge too far.

Losing Eddie's friendship would shatter him completely.

~~~

The ambulance comes to a halt just as Buck reaches orgasm and Eddie is sure he's never seen anything quite as beautiful as Buck's face when he tosses his head back and comes with a silent scream. The way his muscles tense and strain, the long line of his throat, the way his face morphs into an expression of absolute fucking bliss.

He's fucking gorgeous.

And Eddie doesn't even feel bad about the frisson of pride that curls around his spine at the knowledge that _he_ did that to Buck.

All he wants is to do it again and again and again.

And he'd keep fucking him for all of eternity if it meant he could watch the pleasure continue to contort Buck's face like that, but then Buck is saying all kinds of filthy things to him and he knows he won't last. Everything the Omega asks for is everything Eddie's been fantasizing about for so long that he can't hold off any longer. His knot fully inflates and suddenly what was tight and so, _so_ very wet before is now so fucking tight that Eddie doesn't understand how he's still fitting inside of Buck's body.

He screams his release as orgasm rips through him, a current that shoots through every nerve in his body, leaving his fingers and toes tingling as he empties into Buck.

And Buck…

Buck fucking comes again, ropes of creamy white spilling onto his belly. Eddie groans as the intoxicating scents of sex and heat combine to fill the ambulance. If he were to die right now, he knows he'd at least die a happy man.

The Omega goes pliant and boneless beneath him, and Eddie's cock spurts another's stream inside of him from the sight alone. With Buck's lips parted and kiss-swollen and gloriously enticing, Eddie's mouth is drawn in by an irresistible force, wanting nothing more than to taste the man and swallow the tiny moans that bubble up every time Eddie's cock pulses inside of him, unloading wave after wave of his seed. And when Buck's tongue starts chasing after his own, the kiss turns deeper, searching.

Right up until Buck starts to tense beneath him.

Eddie pulls his head back just enough to see the doubt that's creeping into the lines around Buck's eyes and tugging down the corners of his mouth. And he knows Buck. He knows Buck _so well_ that he recognizes exactly what that doubt is, thankfully before Buck's has a chance to close himself off and start building up his walls.

"Hey," Eddie whispers. It takes a moment for those beautiful blue eyes to meet his, but as soon as they do, Eddie offers a soft smile. "I don't have a single doubt about this. About us. If you still want this when your heat is done, I would bond with you the very next day. Buck, I love you, and it has nothing to do with a heat/rut cycle."

"Yeah?" It's tentative, unsure. And Eddie's heart stutters at just how vulnerable Buck is right now.

"Yeah."

Hell, even Christopher already knows how Eddie feels. He made the kid swear to keep it quiet, but he needed to know if Christopher would be on board with Eddie maybe asking Buck on a date. Sometime. In the future. He didn't expect things to happen quite so fast, but Christopher was over the moon when Eddie asked. That was nearly a month ago, but he knows his son will be thrilled about this new development.

About becoming a family.

Grinning like a love-sick fool (and he realizes that's exactly what he is), Eddie brings a hand up to cup Buck's face, taking a moment to appreciate the view before kissing him again. His tongue has just tangled with Buck's when they're interrupted by a quick rap on the back door of the ambulance. For all that he's levelled out, the disturbance barbs at Eddie's nerves, but Buck merely chuckles and wraps his arms around Eddie's neck, tugging him back down.

"What?" Eddie shouts towards the knock.

The door cracks open, just enough to permit speaking without anyone catching sight of them locked together.

"We're in front of Buck's building," Hen's voice floats in to them and Eddie relaxes just a little. "Chim and I are going to wait outside. So whenever you two are...not so attached, you're gonna want to get moving before the next wave hits."

"Thanks, Hen," Buck says, still smiling. Still beautiful.

It takes nearly forty-five minutes for Eddie's knot to deflate, and he loses count of how many loads he shoots into Buck as they lay there, joined together in every sense. He knows it's probably too soon, but he can't help but hope it takes. That they can expand their family just as they're starting it. He knows Christopher would be an amazing big brother.

And Buck would be such a damn good dad.

When he finally slips out of Buck's body and a flood of come spills out at his withdrawal, Eddie can't help but feel a bit of a loss. And it must show on his face, too, because Buck sits up and wraps an arm around his waist. "I have plugs inside. Maybe you could plug me between rounds. Keep me full of you."

Eddie's cock twitches at the thought and it becomes abundantly clear that they'd better move quickly if they're going to make it up to Buck's apartment before they're lost in the haze once again. He can already feel the arousal pooling in his gut, feel the inexorable force of his rut as it reignites inside of him.

"Fuck yes," Eddie rumbles, scrambling to get Buck's pants on so they can leave the ambulance.

As they run to Buck's apartment, Eddie catches a fleeting glimpse of Hen and Chimney leaning up against the building, looking exceptionally relieved as they pass. He can't be sure if it's because they get their rig back or because of the blinding grins on Buck and Eddie's faces, but they seem pleased and that's really all the bandwidth Eddie has for focusing on anything that isn't Buck.

The door to the apartment is fortified and takes a moment for Buck to unlock. Eddie realizes it may go quicker if he doesn't press his body up against the Omega and start rocking his hips, his erection poking into Buck's ass as a reminder of what's waiting for him once they get inside, but he can't really help himself. Not when Buck is just standing there, looking and smelling like that. As he passes the threshold, though, he forces himself to take a moment to eye the precautions that Buck had installed.

"I'll make sure to upgrade the house before your next heat," Eddie says absently as he closes the door behind them and locks all three of the deadbolts. He'll do whatever it takes to ensure Buck feels safe there. When he turns back, Buck is looking at Eddie with so much love in his eyes that Eddie loses his words, just for a moment.

"You want me at your place?" Buck asks, a crooked smile tugging at his lips.

"Well. Yeah," Eddie says like it's the most obvious thing in the world as he stalks over to Buck where he stands against the kitchen counter and pulls him into his arms. The touch is the spark they need to rekindle the heat in their veins, and Eddie has trouble finishing his thought as his mind becomes foggy with lust. "You only have one bedroom here. You'll have to move in with me and Christopher."

That can wait though. Because the smell of Buck's pheromones is combining with the scent of his slick and Eddie's come as it dribbles down Buck's thighs, and Eddie can't seem to think of anything but slamming into Buck, over and over, until his heat ends.

The logistics of moving and marriage and babies will have to hold for a few days.

~~~

Buck grins as Eddie offhandedly invites him to move in.

Eddie truly wants them to be a family. Wants Buck.

And as Buck sinks to his knees in front of his Alpha, he gives himself over to the urges that ripple through his bloodstream with an abandon he's never experienced before, knowing that Eddie will take care of him.

Now, and always.


End file.
